This will also be the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra’s first international tour since 2016. Three institutions with which the American orchestra has close ties have been chosen as its stops: the Paris Philharmonic (March 9-12), the Luxembourg Philharmonic (March 13) and the Elbe Philharmonic in Hamburg (March 15-17). The trip will not include the usual guest tours, but a new concept of residences, which provides the opportunity to offer diverse programs and educational activities in Paris and Hamburg for three days. It is part of a long-term cultural exchange program between the San Francisco Orchestra and these cities.
The collective will be accompanied by its cooperation partners – composer Niko Meulis and flautist Claire Chase – who will participate in concerts at the crossroads of different styles. The programs will feature Old World greats Jean Sibelius and Béla Bartók, New World authors Samuel Barber and Stephen Stuckey, as well as young Californian composer Gabriela Smith. The orchestra will be joined by two virtuoso soloists: Chinese pianist Yuidzia Wan will play Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto in all three cities, while young Swedish and Norwegian violinist Juhans Dälene will play Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto in Paris and Hamburg.
On March 12 in Paris, flutist Claire Chase, together with musicians from the San Francisco Orchestra and amateur musicians from the Ile-de-France region, will implement a participation project for a family audience – the audience will get to know the opus of contemporary Brazilian composer Marcus Balter. On March 9 in Paris and March 17 in Hamburg, a program of experimental and spatial music will be played Kodi/Codes, composed by composer Nico Meuli. The musicians of the San Francisco Orchestra, maestro Esa Peka Salonen, pianist Juidzja Vana and Niko Muelis himself will take part in it. The audience will hear compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach, Francois Couperin, John Dowland, Peter Maxwell Davies, Caroline Shaw, Nico Meuli, Essa Peck Salonen and Billy Childs.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, the concept of an orchestra tour has become more complex, it is also affected by environmental aspects. But if we can transform the tour into a residency project, instead of a separate one-night event in each subsequent city, this will change the situation. The idea is that the symphonic unit goes to a city that convincingly shows what it is capable of and what its importance is in culture,” emphasizes Esa Peka Salonen. “We can reveal the entire spectrum of the symphony orchestra’s activities, organize educational events together with cooperation partners, play symphonic concerts, play new music and give master classes. I prefer to act as a cultural ambassador, rather than just play a concert and immediately go to the next place. I wish, so that our visits influence the cultural life of the city,” he continues.
The collaboration between the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and the Paris Philharmonic also includes the Paris Orchestra/Paris Orchestra visits to the USA, and the San Francisco and Paris institutions jointly commission new works. “There is also a close partnership with the Elba Philharmonic, where I am the composer-in-residence for the second season,” says Esa Peka Salonen. “It is cultural diplomacy. Lately, it has been seen that political diplomacy has its limits and has not been successful when we talk about the war in Ukraine. In such circumstances, cultural diplomacy is becoming more and more important, and it is an effective way to convey your message,” believes an artist.
Information: sfsymphony.org, philharmoniedeparis.fr, philharmonie.lu, elbphilharmonie.de
